Sunday, February 28, 2010

The long awaited release of Madonna’s ‘Sticky & Sweet’ Concert Tour on DVD/CD and Blu-Ray/CD will arrive to worldwide stores on March 30th. The US release is delayed by one week and will be arriving to stores on April 6th.

To coincide with the release, Madonna’s ‘Sticky & Sweet' Tour will be broadcasted on VH1 on April 2nd, as part of the channel’s "Friday Night Alright" series.

Following James Franco’s good-natured spoof of his earlier Gucci Pour Homme fragrance ad campaign on Funny Or Die, the actor is officially back in front of the camera for the Italian luxury brand’s latest scent, Gucci by Gucci Sport pour Homme.

“James Franco is perfect for this fragrance and perfect for Gucci,” the brand’s creative director, Frida Giannini stated in a recent interview. “He personifies the sort of nonchalance and unforced appeal that is most attractive in a man. In the advertising campaign, he captures the fragrance’s casual, modern and masculine air.”

Shot by famed fashion photographers Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin in Cannes, France, the new series depicts a very wet and chiseled Franco gazing seductively into the camera after a fully-clothed dip in a pool.

The sporty fragrance, a mix of fresh citrus scents and masculine undertones like veviter, is available in stores now with products ranging from a deodorant stick for $27 to a 50 ml spray at $57.

Marie Osmond's teenaged son, Michael Blosil, has killed himself by leaping to his death around 9 p.m. Friday in Los Angeles, reports Entertainment Tonight, which quotes Marie's brother, Donny Osmond, as saying, "Please pray for my sister and her family."

Through her rep, Marie Osmond released a statement Saturday. It says, “My family and I are devastated and in deep shock by the tragic loss of our dear Michael and ask that everyone respect our privacy during this difficult time.”

According to ET, Michael left a note explaining he intended to end his life after a lengthy battle with severe depression that left him, he said, feeling as if he had no friends and could never fit in.

In 2007, Michael, then 16, entered a rehab facility. His mother said at the time, "My son Michael is an amazing young man, shown through his courage in facing his issues. As his mother, I couldn’t be more proud of him."

The reason for the visit to rehab was never disclosed. Michael is one of eight children Osmond has raised with ex-husband Brian Blosil.

By March 2009, Marie told People magazine that Michael seemed to be turning his life around. He was finishing up his last year of high school while living with his mom in Las Vegas, where she and Donny headline a show.

"I couldn't be more proud of him," Marie said at the time. "He's got a 3.9 GPA in high school. He's looking at scholarships to some wonderful colleges."

A rep for Donny and Marie Osmond confirmed that the show at the Flamingo Hotel was canceled Saturday night. It is being determined how long the hiatus will remain in effect.

Marie Osmond, one of nine Utah-bred Osmond siblings, began performing with her brothers at age 3. She has been outspoken about the trials of her own life in the spotlight.

In her 2001 memoir Behind the Smile, she detailed her battle with postpartum depression following the birth of her son Matthew. She also revealed that she had been sexually abused as a child. She did not identify her abusers but said they were not family members.

In 2006, Marie's rep denied that the singer had tried to commit suicide, attributing reports about Osmond to the postpartum she suffered.

It’s never easy making it all the way through Hollywood Week and then getting the boot after your first performance as one of American Idol’s Top 24, but Season 9’s early exits were pretty accepting and gracious. Janell Wheeler, Ashley Rodriguez, Joe Muñoz and Tyler Grady spoke to the press about what-ifs, judges, friends, and giving your fans what they want.

Only One Regret: Janell Wheeler, the 24-year-old from Orlando, Florida, who demonstrated star power during Hollywood Week with her rendition of “American Boy,” regretted only one thing, and that’s leaving her six-string behind. “In order for me to really have ensured my place in the next round,” she says, “I really should have gone ahead and brought my guitar out and performed a top 40 hit like ‘American Boy.’ I think I knew exactly what [the judges] wanted from me; I just was choosing to do it the second week.” On a positive note about her performance of Heart’s “What About Love,” Wheeler says, “If there is any way to go out, I’m so proud of the way I did. Several of the girls have even texted me and said, ‘Janell, you have so much poise and you’re a class act.’ I kept it together, I sang my song better than the first time and I’m really happy with how it went.”

Judging The Judges: Ellen, Randy, Kara and Simon aren’t afraid to share their opinions, and neither are the contestants! Ashley Rodriguez, 22, from Chelsea, Massachusetts, says the judges “weren’t taking any chances this week! I think a lot of people thought that they would be a little lenient considering it was our first live show but it turns out they were coming in throwing punches! I wouldn’t say they were too hard, but we definitely could have used some love from them. They were very quick to give a lot of criticism but not back it up with anything positive, which is unfortunate, because you always can find something in good from a performance, even if it falls apart. There is always something positive you can take away.”

New Friendships: Although 20-year-old Joe Muñoz from Huntington Park, California, is leaving Idol early, he’s taking with him some lasting friendships, including one with Tim Urban, who stood next to Muñoz on the chopping block Thursday night. “I got to see Tim right before I left the hotel,” he says, “and he’s a really nice guy and I said goodbye to Todrick Hall also. He’s become one of my best friends. Everybody is so cool! Everybody’s so different but they are all really, really nice.”

Keeping It Real: Tyler Grady, 20, of Nazareth, Pennsylvania, will continue rockin’ with his Lehigh Valley band Wailing Waters, but being on Idol “made me really appreciate performers who do television,” he says. “I’ve never been in that situation before and it’s really a different ballgame.” When asked, had he continued, if he would have taken criticism or just done his own thing, Grady says, “I respect the judges and I think they are very qualified to be critiquing the contestants on the show, but at the same time, when you are building a fan base and your fans are supporting you, they are supporting you because of what you are doing. I’ve been consistent from the Boston auditions until now, and if you’ve ever seen my band play, that’s exactly the style of performance I give every time.”

A full-length DVD of Barbra Streisand’s September concert at the Village Vanguard in Greenwich Village will be released May 4th, according to her official website.

The Sept. 26 Vanguard concert was performed for an intimate audience of invited guests and fans who gathered to hear her sing selections from her new album Love Is the Answer.

Backed by a small group of jazz musicians, Streisand performed such songs as Here’s To Life, In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning, Gentle Rain, Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most, If You Go Away, Where Do You Start, Make Someone Happy, My Funny Valentine, and Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered, among others.

The evening marked a return to Streisand’s roots. Befire she became a star on Broadway and film with Funny Girl, she performed in such Greenwich Village clubs as the Bon Soir, the Blue Angel and the Lion

Friday, February 26, 2010

Mega superstar Lady Gaga is not only watching out for her health, she is also concerned for the well-being of her fan base.

In a recent interview with www.MarieClaire.com, Lady Gaga spoke about HIV and getting tested for the deadly disease. She said, “I had an HIV test two days ago, and it’s not because I’m taking my clothes off every night with a different man. When I am on the road, I forget about taking care of my body.”

She went on to explain, “I don’t go to the doctor as regularly as if I were in one place all the time. So I woke up and thought, ‘Oh, I’m home in New York. I’m going to see my gyno and I’m getting an HIV test.’”

So to all her fans, Gaga says, “You put that condom in your purse and save your own f***ing life.”

Comedian John Krasinski is preparing to don tights and suit up as Captain America after signing up to audition for the superhero role.

The actor, who stars in The Office, has reportedly joined Brothers star Patrick Flueger, Cloverfield's Mike Vogel and Smallville actor Michael Cassidy, among others in the testing stage for the forthcoming action adventure.

Gossip Girl hunk Chace Crawford has also been linked to the high-flying role, although he's yet to confirm his commitment to the audition process, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

A total of seven hopefuls will try to win over casting directors within the next two weeks, when they will meet in Manhattan Beach, California.

The First Avenger: Captain America is expected to be released in July 2011.

Invictus star Matt Damon is reportedly in negotiations to play American politician Robert F. Kennedy in an adaptation of Evan Thomas' respected biography Robert Kennedy: His Life.

Like the book, the film is expected to follow the civil rights activist, who was the younger brother of President John F. Kennedy, from his early life through the 1960 and '68 presidential campaigns until his assassination.

Movie website Deadline Hollywood reports: "The film will trace RFK's transformation from the younger brother in the shadow of President John F. Kennedy to a strong national leader in his own right before he was gunned down in 1968."

Steven Knight is believed to be writing the script for the movie, which will be directed by Gary Ross. No further casting information has been revealed.

After the rave reviews Lady Gaga received for the stellar Armani Prive dress she wore to this year’s Grammys, the singer is teaming up with Giorgio Armani once again, this time for her Monster Ball concert tour.

The Italian designer just released two sketches featuring the custom-made outfits he created for the blonde performer.

Through a release, Armani says, “We hear Lady Gaga’s music everywhere we go, it is like a soundtrack of our times. In addition to her formidable songwriting skills, she is a modern fashion phenomenon.”

From a scintillating one-piece with a lobster-like effect on one sleeve to a sparkly cerulean body suit with exaggerated shoulders, each costume balances Armani’s sharp tailoring with Gaga’s dramatic flair.

The performer’s style parade continues with a one-of-a-kind Prada dress that blends high-tech fabric (it’s made of plastic!) with a flared skirt based off a classic 18th century silhouette. Meanwhile, floral embroidery and lace trimming cap off that feisty-but-feminine look.

Ugly Betty may be in its final season, but that doesn’t mean Betty herself is ready to let go.

“I’ve lived with this character who I’ve loved from day one and I have only grown to feel more connected to her,” the show’s star America Ferrera tells www.Parade.com. “Her entire journey was about a transformation, kind of coming into her womanhood and owning herself both physically and emotionally.”

And with four episodes left to shoot, Ferrera says, “I’m staying in denial for now — I’ll deal with all those emotions in a little bit. I imagine that when we finally wrap it’s not going to be a dry-eyed goodbye.”

But Ferrera says that playing Betty has changed her. “I never really pictured myself being on television. I couldn’t imagine a world coming along that would entice me enough to sign away years and years of my life to one character,” Ferrera says. “Then Betty came around. I was 21 when I started and I’ve learned so much and grown so much as a person.”

Walk this way, Aerosmith fans! Recently rehabbed Steven Tyler is ready to rock again with his bandmates – and not without some effort on his part.

"I just auditioned and I got the gig," Tyler, 61, jokes in a new video announcing his band's upcoming European tour. "We're coming your way and rocking your world. Look out baby – because here we come again."

The rocker caused fans – and his bandmates – to worry about his health in Nov. 2009 after he displayed some erratic behavior which caused Aerosmith to cancel shows. Tyler ultimately entered rehab for painkiller addiction the next month.

The band's newly announced tour begins June 10th in Sweden – and wraps July 3rd in Venice, Italy. No North American shows have been announced yet.

He looks so hot and smells so cool – in the shower, on a boat and atop a horse in the Old Spice commercial that's been mesmerizing audiences all through the Winter Olympics. Now, thanks to the TV spot's immense popularity, "the man your man could smell like," actor Isaiah Mustafa, is riding high in real life, too.

Since the commercial first launched on YouTube Feb. 4, views have skyrocketed to nearly 2.9 million. Mustafa, 36, also appears in a smoking jacket in another deliciously cheesy spot on the Old Spice Web site, declaring that women "should smell like butterflies and salt water taffy" and men like "jet fighters and punching."

Since the commercial first aired, job opportunities have followed, Mustafa told the Los Angeles Times in a revealing profile.

Despite his sharply scripted monologue, the smug, over-the-top attitude of Mustafa's character wasn't planned. The day before the shoot, Mustafa called to chat with a pal from his days at Arizona State University, Denver Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer. When Plummer didn't answer, Mustafa decided to leave a rehearsal of the commercial's script on his friend's answering machine.

"I just did it for him, and I did it extra big, and then when I hung up, I thought, 'Maybe I should try it that way and see if they like it,' " Mustafa told the Times.

The ad honchos did like it – and so did audiences. The commercial, which takes Mustafa from the shower to a boat to a horse on the beach all in one shot (fans can also watch the making of the video), could be the big break for Mustafa, who's previously played a bailiff on Ugly Betty, a cop on Days of Our Lives and, most recently, a small role on ABC's Castle.

Here's what else you need to know about this on-the-rise actor (be forewarned): He's not available. He has a dancer girlfriend – "professional, not pole," Mustafa is quick to clarify. He also played receiver for the Seattle Seahawks and in NFL Europe, and he used to run a Ventura, Calif., barbecue restaurant with his mother, who's still there.

And while he may be an expert at dropping the towel, it appears Mustafa is also adept at keeping his newfound fame in check. As he recently Tweeted: "Raised in a house of women. I'll get backhanded if I even attempted to get bigheaded."

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Lady Gaga may be known for her eccentric fashion choices and scandalous soundbites, but she definitely has a domestic side, too. The singer says she can't wait to be a wife and mother someday.

She revealed: "I want to have a husband who loves and supports me, just the way anyone else does. I am a very sentimental person and family is important to me."

The flamboyant singer, who is currently touring the UK, is said to have grown increasingly close to her style collaborator Matthew Williams in recent months, whom she previously romanced for over a year.

A source close to the singer revealed: "Matthew and Gaga have been dating for months. They were together on and off for more than a year, but called it off when mixing work and love became too difficult."

After the pair first went their separate ways, Gaga began dating an entrepreneur named Speedy while Matthew started a new relationship and became a father. However, both romances fizzled out and the former couple have now reconciled after growing close on the star's Monster Ball tour.

But despite her dreams of having a family, Gaga insists for now she's happy to continue working towards world domination. She revealed to the Daily Star newspaper: "I live out of a suitcase, but I love what I do -- I've worked my whole life to live like this."

A spokesperson for Lopez has confirmed that the singer and actress will not renew her recording contract with Sony/Epic. Via her spokesperson, Lopez sent this message to the media:

"I am making this statement to put an end to any confusion in regards to my next album, titled 'Love.' I have belonged to the Sony family since the beginning of my career as a singer and together we've had great success. I have fulfilled my contractual responsibilities with Sony/Epic up to this point, and we have both reached friendly terms about my departure from the label. I'm also happy to say that we've found a new home for my album, 'Love,' and that it is slated for release in the summer of 2010."

Though she wouldn't reveal which label will release her album, www.Deadline.com, which originally reported the split, said Lopez was rumored to be in talks with Island Def Jam's L.A. Reid. She is also still scheduled to perform and host "Saturday Night Live" this weekend

"Jennifer had a wonderful relationship with the Sony Music group, and they have shared many successes together, but the time was right to make a change that best serves the direction [of] her career as an actress and recording artist," read a statement sent to Deadline.com from Lopez' manager Benny Medina. "She is grateful and appreciative to everyone [at] Sony for all that they accomplished together."

The reason behind the split hasn't been confirmed yet, but according to www.Deadline.com, the Bronx-born singer/actress was either dropped due to poor reception of her latest single, "Louboutins," or left voluntarily after fulfilling her contract. Lopez was scheduled to release her seventh studio album, "Love?" through Epic in April, to time with the release of CBS Films' "The Back Up Plan," in which she stars and in which she was to have a song from her album in the end credits.

Lopez has sold 11.8 million albums in the U.S. according to Nielsen SoundScan since she launched her career with Epic in 1999 with her debut set "On the 6." That album, which debuted and peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 chart, has sold 2.8 million in the U.S.

Between 1999 and 2003, she notched a string of 10 to 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including the No. 1s "If You Had My Love," "I'm Real," "Ain't It Funny" and "All I Have."

Lopez returned in January of 2005 with the studio set "Rebirth," led by the single "Get Right." While "Rebirth" debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, it only went on to sell 738,000 in the U.S. and "Get Right" topped out at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Lopez's most recent top 10 single on the Hot 100 came in the form of a guest appearance on LL Cool J's "Control Myself," which peaked at No. 4 in 2006.

Following "Rebirth" in 2007, Lopez offered up her first Spanish-language album "Como Ama Una Mujer," which reached No. 10 on the Billboard 200 and spent four weeks at No. 1 on the Top Latin Albums chart. It has sold 207,000. Later that same year, she bowed her fifth English studio set, "Brave," which debuted and peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard 200 and has since sold 165,000.

"Love?'s: first pair of singles, "Louboutins" and "Fresh Out the Oven," have both reached the Dance Club Songs chart, but have yet to dent any of Billboard's radio airplay tallies. "Oven," featuring Pitbull, hit No. 1 on the Club list back in January, while "Louboutins" is still climbing the chart. This week it rises from No. 21 to No. 13.

After taking a three-month maternity leave to bond with her 15-month-old daughter Naleigh, whom she adopted in September with husband Josh Kelley, Katherine Heigl is due to return to the set of Grey’s Anatomy on March 1. Two weeks later, the actress, 31, will travel to Las Vegas to accept the ShoWest award for Female Star of the Year, a film-industry honor previously won by the likes of Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston.

Is the award yet another sign that Heigl — who took a five-episode hiatus from Grey’s earlier this season to film the romantic comedy Life As We Know It with Josh Duhamel — is ready to depart Grey’s to focus full-time on her film career?

“It wouldn’t be a shock,” says a source close to the show. By the time Grey’s airs the finale of season 6 in May, Heigl will have been absent from roughly half of its 24-episode run.

Since joining ABC’s hit medical series in 2005, the actress hasn’t shied away from expressing her occasional displeasure with the show. She won a supporting actress Emmy in 2007 but announced the following year she was withdrawing her name from Emmy contention because she “did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination.” Last July, the actress complained to David Letterman about returning to the Grey’s set: “Our first day back was Wednesday and it was — I’m going to keep saying this because I hope it embarrasses them — a 17-hour day, which I think is cruel and mean.”

Then is the actress, who has five movies in development and an action comedy, Killers, due in theaters in June, indeed winding down her stint as Dr. Isobel Stevens? “The level of speculation is no different than it has been in the past couple of years,” says another show insider, who adds that casting changes are typical of a show with a six-season run.

Whatever happens, don’t expect an announcement before June, when the show’s cast typically learns about their contracts for the coming season. Heigl’s rep did not return calls for comment, and ABC declined to discuss specifics of their actors’ contracts.

First his wife entered rehab, and now Charlie Sheen is in treatment, too.

"As a preventative measure, Charlie Sheen has entered a rehabilitation facility," his rep says in a statement. "He will take some time off his series Two and a Half Men."

Sheen, 44, is also facing domestic violence charges stemming from a Christmas Day fight with wife Brooke Mueller, who herself went into rehab earlier this month, then switched centers amid complaints that her privacy was breached.

The statement did not elaborate on the reason for Sheen's treatment. The actor has reportedly gone to rehab programs at least twice before for drug and alcohol abuse, but a source says that this time the problem relates to the emotional fallout from the domestic violence case and his desire to avoid temptation. A relapse would be a violation of his bail terms and could send him back to jail.

"Charlie is stressed. He's tired. The kids are on his mind. Brooke's on his mind," the source stated in a recent interview. "A lot of things are on his mind. He didn't want to get a place where he had the urge to get high. He's not using and he doesn't want to. He felt like he needed to get away from negative influences around him and clear his head, rest and take a short break."

The source adds that Sheen's twin boys would be staying with his parents, actor Martin Sheen and wife Janet, and with Mueller at her rehab facility. Mueller's mother also planned to travel to California from Florida to help.

Production of Sheen's show "will be temporarily suspended," says a statement from CBS and the show's producer, Warner Bros. Television. "We wish him nothing but the best as he deals with this personal matter."

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Ewan McGregor has shed his clothes for several of his films -- Trainspotting and Velvet Goldmine, to name a couple -- and he finds the experience empowering. He said: "I remember getting a kind of rush out of that first time, a slight feeling of power about it, you know?"

Ewan, who has three daughters with wife Eve Mavraki, also revealed he enjoys "kissing boys" in his movies as he likes to feel challenged as an actor.

Talking about kissing Jonathan Rhys Meyers in Velvet Goldmine, Ewan told Out magazine: "I remember when I kissed Johnny. It was just a rush at the end of the day. It was just an electrical moment, because you look around and some of the British electrician guys -- who are all mainly closeted homosexuals, I think -- were sitting around going 'F**k, no.' But I like kissing boys on screen. As a straight guy, it's quite an interesting proposition. Anything on a film set that takes you by surprise like that, that gets your blood up, is good."

He added, "I'm always interested in playing different people, in different situations. It doesn't matter to me whether someone is in love with a man or a woman. I find the idea of love and romance interesting. I'm a sucker for it. I like playing someone who's falling in love because I like the sensation of it."

At Madrid's Fashion Week, Mastache's new Fall 2010/Winter 2011 collection included a bunny-ish sweater with hood and puffs, a yellow cabbage-rose headpiece, various explosions of fabric, and yes, the penis trouser.Fashion is about expression, creative license, and making a statement...but putting gentils on parade, its not! The only time that's okay is with super-sexy underwear; not slacks made for everyone to see.

It's not a wrong to see a nice bulge here and there. But for the same reasons we never approved of the 1980s skinny jean — that wasn't so much skinny as it was ill-fitting — we do not approve of Mastache's snake trouser that embeds a pouch for your junk to hang in plain sight.

The only people we can see getting behind this are fertility doctors, who, we hear, recommend keeping your semen particles away from your body to lower their temperature. And even then: Ew, gross.

Jennifer Lopez is leaving Sony Music Epic Records, and her 7th studio album, Love?, will not be released this April as planned.

The 40-year-old entertainer will still likely have a greatest hits album released this fall, according to Deadline.com.

J. Lo’s manager, Benny Medina, released a statement yesterday, saying, “Jennifer had a wonderful relationship with the Sony Music group, and they have shared many successes together, but the time was right to make a change that best serves the direction her career as an actress and recording artist. She is grateful and appreciative to everyone Sony for all that they accomplished together.”

Jennifer is still scheduled to host and perform as the host and musical guest on Saturday Night Live this weekend.

Sean Faris has landed the lead in drama pilot for The CW called The Wyoming Project.

The show was created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, who is best known as the creator and executive producer of Gilmore Girls. According to THR, Sean, 27, will play Gideon Thorpe, a horse trainer who becomes the patriarch of a Wyoming ranch responsible for his three younger sisters after their parents die.

In other pilot news, Rachael Leigh Cook has also been tapped as the lead on Fox’s comedy pilot Nirvana.

Nirvana revolves around “two grown Indian-American brothers who clash with their controlling immigrant parents as they assimilate American culture, particularly one son, who lives with a white girlfriend (Cook).”

She assures Robin that she has no problem with her sexuality but doesn’t seem interested until the very end of the episode when it is revealed that Katherine did in fact enjoy that kiss and no doubt will want more!

John Barrowman, the star of BBC’s Dr. Who who also has had a thriving musical theater career on Broadway and on London’s West End, is set to release the third solo album of his career on March 1st.

It’s a self-titled effort that features some really terrific songs from Broadway musicals including Memory from Cats, The Winner Takes It All from Mamma Mia, My Eyes Adored You and Oh What a Night from Jersey Boys and one of my absolute favorites: You’ll Never Walk Alone from Carousel.

The Queen of the Night seems to be just fine, thank you. Whitney Houston wowed the crowd at her recent concert in Osaka, Japan, despite tabloid reports that she's physically struggling through her comeback tour. "She looked like she was having so much fun," says a concertgoer. "She was in great shape and kept up with her dancers!"

Monday, February 22, 2010

Former "Desperate Housewives" star Nicollette Sheridan is set as the lead in a CBS comedy pilot headlined by Ant Hines, a longtime collaborator of Sacha Baron Cohen.

Meanwhile, Neal McDonough, who played Sheridan's psycho husband who ultimately led to her character's demise in a freaky car accident, will star opposite Virginia Madsen on ABC's dramedy series "Scoundrels."

Hines' semi-scripted presentation, directed by Larry Charles ("Borat"), stars English actor Paul Kaye as a British lowlife moving to L.A. to reconnect with his daughter, a precocious teen superstar.

Returning to her Blighty roots, British born-and-raised Sheridan will play the girl's outrageous stage mother and the deadbeat dad's long-lost love.

Based on the New Zealand series "Outrageous Fortune," the comedic drama "Scoundrels" centers on the matriarch (Madsen) of a family of criminals who decides it's time for her brood to go straight after her scam artist/forger/petty thief husband (McDonough) is sentenced to a long prison term.

For four seasons, Sheridan played Wisteria Lane man-eater Edie, who finally found her match in Dave Williams (McDonough), her villainous third husband in Season 5.

James Cameron's Avatar remains strong at three with $16.1 million - two months after its debut. The sci-fi sensation's record-breaking U.S. total tallies in at $687.8 million. Worldwide, the film has taken in $2.47 billion.

Rounding out the top five are Pierce Brosnan's Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief and Benicio Del Toro's The Wolfman, with total earnings of $15.3 million and $9.8 million respectively.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Ryan O’Neal is going to make a second documentary about Farrah Fawcett’s cancer battle. The actor has commissioned a producer to work on a “tribute” show to his long-term love, who died last June, and crews are already in Texas to interview those who were closest to the late star.

Ryan’s publicist, Arnold Robinson, said: "My understanding is that he is collecting recollections/memories of Farrah from her friends and family for archival purposes.”

It is believed the producer of the documentary is Stephanie Lynn, who has regularly been pictured with Ryan since Farrah’s death. It is unclear if anyone who was involved in Farrah’s Story, which chronicled the actress’ fight with cancer and was broadcast on US TV network NBC - is also working on the project. A source told website Radar Online: “It will take a completely different direction to the first documentary.”

In September, Stephanie placed an advertisement in the Hollywood Reporter newspaper saying: "Looking for candid footage of Farrah for upcoming one-hour tribute."

The documentary will also incorporate photographs taken by Samuel Lippke at 62-year-old Farrah’s funeral service, which was held at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, a Roman Catholic church in Los Angeles. In a statement posted on his website, Samuel said: "I had the honor of photographing an amazing woman’s funeral. I can’t write much due to discretion rules and I can’t post images that I took... all of my images go straight to Ryan and no-one else.I photographed some extremely touching moments, bagpipes, tears, rosary beads, eulogies, it was beautiful."

Hugh Jackman plays a nightclub owner in an upcoming film set in rural China, but it sounds like the Australian actor had some trouble with the language. Hugh says he had to sing for the movie, and even though he took the time to learn the song syllable-by-syllable, Chinese-born producer Wendi Murdoch wasn't very impressed.

"I sang it and the very first couple of syllables she was like, 'great,' and then gradually she said like, 'what?'" he told the Associated Press of his part in Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. "But I think I got at least one take."

Hugh successfully masked his native accent as he took on the role of Wolverine in the popular X-Men movies, but it would seem that speaking an entirely different language threw him off his game.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, based on the book of the same name, tells the story of how a close childhood friendship affects the lives of two very different girls in 1800s rural China.

Drew Barrymore and Wanda Sykes are to be the recipients of this year's top gay honors at the 21st annual GLAAD Media Awards.

Officials at the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation will bestow their Vanguard Award on Barrymore, while gay comedienne Wanda Sykes will receive the Stephen F. Kolzak Award at a glitzy gala in Los Angeles on April 17th.

Barrymore's honor comes after she portrayed Robert De Niro's lesbian daughter in Everybody's Fine, which has also been nominated for Outstanding Film at the event.

She has become a big favorite of GLAAD in recent years for her activism towards gay rights and joined thousands of marriage equality advocates on the streets of West Hollywood when the California Supreme Court upheld Proposition 8, which eliminated marriage for gay and lesbian couples.

The thrilled star says, "I was born, bred and raised among diversity, it has defined me and made me the person I am today. I'm honoured and humbled to be receiving this award."

Prepping for her upcoming hosting/performing duties on next weekend's Saturday Night Live? Jennifer Lopez rocks her golden mic Friday during the Festival di Sanremo, an annual Italian song contest held in San Remo, Italy.

Evan Lysacek has turned into one of the stars of the Vancouver Olympics. On Thursday, the 2009 World Champion took the gold in men's figure skating. Here are five things you don't know about the athlete:

1. Lysacek, 24, has always been a self-described "daredevil." He says, "I loved to go fast" – and he always has. At about age 6, he sped on his bike down a hill near his home in Naperville, Ill., fell and needed stitches to the head. He started skating at 8.

2. He used to date Tanith Belbin, part of the U.S. Olympic ice dancing team. She's rooming in Vancouver with Lysacek's rival Johnny Weir. When rooms were chosen, "it came down to me, Evan and Johnny," says Belbin with a laugh. "Do the math – Johnny and I got the suite.”

3. He loves clubbing in L.A. with pals like Nicole Richie and Rachel Zoe.

4. His mom, Tanya, is in Vancouver but gets too nervous to watch her son in person. Instead, she cheers from in front of a TV back at the Procter & Gamble house set up for athletes' family members.

5. For fun, Lysacek worships the sun – check out that tan – and likes to surf. As for his post-skating career? He's taking acting classes. "I've always been obsessed with movies," he says.

Simon Cowell may be leaving American Idol after the current season but don’t think he doesn’t care about who his replacement will be. In a conference call Thursday with reporters, Cowell talked about who is right for his job, the rumors that he and Ellen DeGeneres are squabbling and why he thinks Lady Gaga should mentor the latest crop of Idol hopefuls.

There have been rumors that you and Ellen DeGeneres aren’t getting along. Could you address them?I wouldn’t say that we didn’t get on well. I don’t know Ellen that well. It was a difficult position for her because she started work on the Hollywood week, which is quite a difficult show to do. There was one story I read that [said] I turned up an hour late for something and that she wanted to film. The truth was I think I turned up 15 or 20 minutes late because I did a press conference earlier in the day. And they did start filming, but that wasn’t a particular problem. There was no fall out. I was trying to guide her through the week and that was it really.

What do you miss most about Paula Abdul?Well Paula is my friend, amazingly, even though we used to argue a lot. She was somebody I got really close to over the years. We’d hang out together after the show. She always made me laugh. I always thought she was funny. It was just like not having your friend on the show anymore, so I do miss her.

What does it feel like to have people say that you’re irreplaceable?It’s very, very flattering. I really do appreciate it. Like I said before, the show goes on. I’m going to feel sad when it all ends.

What kind of person could replace you?You have to be good looking. Secondly, you have to know what you’re talking about. I’m starting to realize with these shows that you have to put people on that actually know what they’re talking about. Rather than guessing, they really have to have experience, so that you cannot just criticize — you can offer constructive advice as well.

How much music experience is required for the judging job?I think it’s really important. When we first started we had a record producer, an artist and an A&R man. So you’ve covered pretty much everything. I would say someone who has had managerial experience is always helpful. But in simplistic terms if you’re going to give a score you generally need to know what you’re talking about. I think over the years judges have been replaced by personalities. That in the long term will create problems because you’ve got to be able to spot a star. So whoever replaces me, my advice has always been find somebody who actually knows what they’re talking about.

How does that apply to Howard Stern?He doesn’t seem to fit any of the criteria. He’s played records. Maybe that’s a good qualification — that he’s played records and is a DJ. But he obviously wants the job. Good luck to him.

You’ve said people need to be seasoned in the music business to be a judge. Are those comments directed at Ellen?I was thinking that … people are going to misinterpret what I’m saying. I’ll tell you why I think Ellen is a good choice. She actually is very responsible for the people who perform on her show. I know that for a fact because I’ve dealt with her as a record label. She loves music and she’s been an artist. No it wasn’t meant to dis her credentials. It was specifically talking about my replacement because my role on the show is as someone who has run a successful record label. So that was specifically for my replacement.

Is it important that a woman win this year?Depends what she’s like. We’ve had a few years now of guys winning the show. I would say that it’s definitely a better chance of a girl winning the show this year.

What would be the right type of woman to win?You want somebody who represents what’s going on at the moment. I’d love to find a Taylor Swift … somebody who is relevant rather than just a contest winner.

What mentors are you hoping to work with during the season?We should have Lady Gaga because she is the most relevant pop artist in the world at the moment. She’s very smart. I like her.

'Heroes' actor Adrian Pasdar has officially been charged with DUI following his arrest last month in L.A., TMZ reports.

The actor was pulled over on January 27 after cops clocked him going 90 MPH on the 405 Freeway. He was placed under arrest for suspicion of DUI after he refused to take a breathalyzer and held him on $15,000 bail.

Pasdar is due back in court on February 24 and faces up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Pasdar plays Senator Nathan Petrelli on 'Heroes' and has been married to Dixie Chicks singer Natalie Maines for nine years.

Back in January, police say Pasdar was swerving all over the freeway and "failing to maintain his lane." When police finally pulled him over, sources told TMZ that the cops detected the odor of alcohol and gave the 44-year-old actor a field sobriety test.

Willy Wonka's got nothing on Oprah! Winfrey makes an edible statement while unveiling her talk show set made entirely from Godiva chocolates. The yummy stage will be featured on Monday's episode of Oprah.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Colin Farrell enjoys success a lot more now that he's put down the bottle. The 33-year-old actor was previously a bad boy known for his excessive partying, but he gave up drinking a few years ago. Now, he's still having fun, but appreciates what he has a lot more.

He said: “It’s put more focus on my career. I’m a lot more appreciative over what I have. For years I was adamantly trying to show that I wasn’t worthy or that I didn’t know why it happened to me. I enjoy it a lot more now.”

The In Bruges star says there was no specific reason why he curbed his wild ways, other than that he had begun to grow tired of his hectic lifestyle. He added: “I just wanted to stop. I was done with it, I was tired of it, I wanted to get off the treadmill.”

Despite his antics, Colin insists he has always taken his career seriously. He told Total Film magazine: “The work I always took serious – I probably would have been embarrassed by how serious I took it. Everything else, the behavior around the work, was a guy having a good time and probably trying to apologize for his success.”

Dexter's Michael C. Hall, who is undergoing treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma, looks in fine form Thursday has he steps out in Hollywood. The resilient actor – whose disease is "treatable and curable" – recently took home both a Golden Globe and SAG Award for his role on the Showtime drama.

This season, 'American Idol' revealed the Top 24 semifinalists over two nights instead of all at once -- but now, at last, we have the full list of those who'll sing for America's approval. Among the Top 24 are some early favorites, as well as some who didn't get a lot of screen time before being chosen.

After all the tears, the banter and the showmanship, who made it to the Top 24? Here's the full list of semifinalists.

GIRLS:

Didi BenamiDidi won the judges over in Los Angeles with her Norah Jones-esque version of 'Hey Jude.' Even after kudos from guest judge Avril Lavigne ("I think you have huge potential"), the 22-year-old burst into tears as she was handed a ticket to Hollywood. Didi lost her best friend several years ago and for her, singing is carrying on her friend's legacy. During Hollywood Week, she held it together and continued to wow the judges, particularly with her bold choice to perform Kara DioGuardi's song, 'Terrifed.' With rich vocals and nary a tear, Didi killed it.

Katelyn EpperlyWhen Katelyn first auditioned in Chicago, the judges saw a spark and raw talent, but wanted her to bring more excitement to her game, with Simon declaring, "the lights are off." But the 19-year-old's rendition of Duffy's 'Syrup and Honey' was strong enough to send her to Hollywood, where she stepped up to the proverbial plate with more energy and confidence. Ultimately, it paid off.

Janell WheelerJanell impressed the judges from the start. Following her soulful rendition of 'House of the Rising Sun' in Orlando, Randy Jackson told her, "There's something infectious about you." The 24-year-old stood out yet again during Hollywood Week, when she sang an acoustic version of Estelle's 'American Boy.' "That was amazing ... amazing! I loved it," Ellen DeGeneres said. Even Simon Cowell liked her, praising her acoustic performance. Will America follow suit?

Lacey BrownLacey may have gotten booted off the Top 50 last year, but that didn't stop her trying again in season 9. The 23-year-old church choir director from Amarillo, TX, returned with a rendition of 'Over the Rainbow' at the Orlando auditions, where Kara told her, "You're definitely one of my favorites." Last year, she was axed while sitting next to Megan Joy Corkrey, who became a Top 24 finalist, but she said she knew it wasn't the end of the road -- and she was right.

Ashley RodriguezAshley was already dripping with star power when she arrived at the Boston auditions, and prompted Simon to tell her that she has the "it" factor. Fashion maven and guest judge Victoria Beckham approved, too, telling her, "You look fantastic, you're one of my favorites that I've seen." The 21-year-old sang Alicia Keys's 'If I Ain't Got You' to a resounding thumbs up, and kept going strong through Hollywood Week, where she impressed again in her group audition with a sweet, lilting performance of Beyonce's 'Irreplaceable.'

Crystal BowersoxCrystal auditioned in Chicago with a throaty version of Janis Joplin's 'Piece of My Heart,' after which the judges (including guest Shania Twain) gave her a unanimous yes. In Hollywood, the 24-year-old brought her passion to the stage with a performance of Sheryl Crow's 'If It Makes You Happy,' on which she accompanied herself with a harmonica and guitar. It's exciting to see such purity on the 'Idol' stage -- and it will be interesting to see what the show's makeover-ologists will do with her bohemian style.

Katie StevensKatie blew away the judges in Boston with her powerful, controlled rendition of 'At Last.' Kara was amazed that the 16-year-old pulled off such a strong audition, Randy said she had "good, natural talent," while guest judge Victoria Beckham told her, "You have really nice stage presence. Which I like. You look happy." In Hollywood, the teen again impressed during her standout group audition with a stellar team performance of Alicia Keys' 'No One.'

Lilly ScottWe didn't see much of Lilly before her arrival in Hollywood, but the 20-year-old sandwich-shop employee clearly struck a chord in her Denver audition with her silky voice and rocker style. In Hollywood, Lilly took her sweet, soulful voice to the stage on Day 1 with Duffy's 'Lullaby of Birdland.' Her voice was smooth like honey and she seemed cool and collected. Her fate on the Top 24 may have been sealed when Kara told her, "everything about you is refreshing."

Haely VaughnHaely auditioned in Denver with a rendition of Carrie Underwood's 'Last Name' and a bubbly personality that won the judges over instantly. Another distinction that caught their eyes is her determination to be the first black, mainstream pop-country singer. Simon told her, "What I like about you is, you're different. ... I think you're infectious." In Hollywood, she brought out the country vibe again with Taylor Swift's 'Change' with an energy and surprising power that got her fellow 'Idol' hopefuls clapping for her.

Paige MilesPaige Miles is another finalist on the Top 24 who's seen little screen time so far. The upbeat singer reveals in her golden ticket interview that she's a cheerleader, and that she auditioned this year in the name of a late family member who made her promise she would.

Siobhan MagnusSiobhan auditioned in Boston, but she was finally showcased to viewers during Hollywood Week. On her Day 3 audition, the 19-year-old sang a jubilant rendition of 'Living for the City,' in an ostensible (and effective) attempt to buck Ellen's earlier criticism that she sounded old. Siobhan was also part of a disappointing group performance of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance," but managed to stand out nonetheless.

Michelle DelamorMichelle got a sweep of easy "yeses" in Orlando with her smooth version of Aretha Franklin's 'Chain of Fools.' During Hollywood Week, the 22-year-old Miami native sang alongside Ashley Rodriguez and Charity Vance in their impressive group audition with Beyonce's 'Irreplaceable.'

GUYS:

Michael "Big Mike" LyncheBig Mike" made a good impression on the judges with his original audition in Orlando. It wasn't just his massive physique, but his capable rendition of the Righteous Brothers' 'Unchained Melody.' While making it to Hollywood Week was momentous for the 26-year-old personal trainer, he got even bigger news as the next round kicked off: He became a dad. Despite missing his wife ad new daughter, Mike pulled off a few stellar performances in Hollywood, including Jason Mraz's 'I'm Yours.'

Todrick HallAt the Dallas auditions, Todrick performed a lively, original song that impressed everyone but Simon Cowell (big surprise), and his professional experience was evident in his poise and performance, which led Randy to say, "Dude, I think you're one of the best I've seen in season 9." In Hollywood, he proved that he's not a one-trick singer with a bluesy, unusual rendition of Jason Mraz's catchy hit, 'I'm Yours' that inspired Kara to dance in her chair. But at the end of Hollywood Week, it was Todrick who was practically dancing when the judges broke the news.

Casey JamesKara and guest judge Victoria Beckham took a liking to Casey the second he stepped into his audition in Denver, first asking him to let his hair down, then to take off his shirt (seriously). Casey generously obliged, but it was his bluesy singing that tipped the scales in his favor ... eventually. Once he made it to Hollywood, he seemed to come alive and fulfill the judges' hopes that he might cultivate some personality. His cool, confident rendition of John Mayer's 'I Don't Need No Doctor' proved his mettle, and prompted Randy Jackson to tell him, "Dude, I actually loved that. You really are a real singer-songwriter."

Aaron KellyWith his small frame and shy demeanor, Aaron's already stepping into the tween-sized shoes that season 8 finalist David Archuleta warmed up last year. The 16-year-old won his ticket to Hollywood at the Orlando auditions with 'The Climb' by Miley Cyrus. In Hollywood, he took his country style to the next level, belting out ballads that would even do Archie proud. A tough childhood during which his aunt and uncle adopted him makes Aaron's place on the Top 24 all the sweeter.

Lee DewyzeLee scored his ticket to Hollywood with a bluesy version of Bill Withers's 'Ain't No Sunshine,' but he didn't secure his spot on the Top 24 until the very end of Hollywood Week. Lee didn't get much screen time in the episodes before Hollywood, and the judges even told him that it wasn't until he rebounded from a "dull" performance there that he fully won them over. Yet, he landed one of season 9's spots on the Top 24 -- and it's a good thing, because he told the 'Idol' cameras after his first audition that when it comes to his nascent career in music, "there's no backup plan."

Tyler GradyA little goofy and a little gangly, Tyler impressed the judges in Boston with a performance of "Let's Get It On." His smooth crooning and tight shirt won over Kara and Victoria Beckham, who loved his "whole look." Randy, meanwhile, like his "Morrison stance," and said he "made it pop!" Even Simon was digging Tyler's groovy vibe, telling him that his audition was one to remember.

Jermaine SellersJermaine brought a cool, R'n'B sensibility to his rendition of 'What If God Was One of Us' in his Atlanta audition, and the judges ate it up. After his confident performance, Randy told him, "This, so far, of all the cities, best vocals we've seen yet ... This is the real deal right here." During Hollywood Week, he stood out on group day, during a sub-par performance of Kansas' 'Carry on Wayward Son,' in which his high notes won applause from fellow hopefuls. Afterward, he said of the group audition experience: "Hell, it was fire and brimstone."

John ParkAs with several other male 'Idol' hopefuls, the female judges had a little fun with John in his first audition in Chicago, immediately taking to his pretty-boy good looks and charm. He sang Donny Hathaway's 'I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know,' and guest judge Shania Twain unleashed a veritable parade of innuendos in her comments. "You have a beautiful bottom end," she told him, as well as "nice lips." Kara, at least, reined herself in, saying only, "I think you have a really good voice." During group day, he was in one of the groups that made the unfortunate decision to try Gwen Stefani's 'Sweet Escape,' but somehow stayed above the fray.

Andrew GarciaAndrew has been a favorite since he arrived at the Los Angeles auditions full of talent and warmth. His rendition of Maroon Five's 'Sunday Morning' prompted Simon to tell him, "You're the only person who's walked through today who I genuinely believe is a good singer." In Hollywood, Kara told him that his interpretation of Paula Abdul's 'Straight Up' was "genius," adding, "You just owned that moment and interpreted something similar in a way that Adam [Lambert] did last season."

Alex LambertAlex first impressed the judges at the Dallas auditions. While viewers haven't seen much of him, he broke out his throaty voice for just seconds in his Hollywood Week group audition during a painful team performance of Fleetwood Mac's 'Dreams.' His fellow group hopefuls didn't fare too well, but the low-key singer stayed above the fray.

Joe MunozJoe's among the mystery finalists of whom we've seen little during the early audition process, but his capable performance of 'Man in the Mirror' was enough to put him in good stead with the judges.

Tim Urban Sporting a Jonas Brothers-style coif, Tim sang a touching rendition of David Cook's 'Come Back to Me' during Hollywood Week. Kara thought the chorus was shaky -- but there's no denying that viewers will love him (and his hair). Tim replaced Chris Golightly, after Chris was yanked by the producers who discovered Chris had a previously existing music contract.

If guests at Elton John's legendary Oscar bash need some juicy fodder to prep for this year's party, they've got it – straight from the host himself.

In the most recent issue of Parade magazine, the British singer shares intimate details about his love life before and after he met his longtime partner, David Furnish.

John, 62, says his previous romances, always with "someone younger," were lopsided. He confesses he would "smother them with love," exotic trips and expensive gifts like Cartier watches and sports cars.

"They didn't have jobs. They were reliant on me. I did this repeatedly," he says of his former flames. "In six months they were bored and hated my guts because I'd taken their lives and self-worth away. I hadn't intended to."

But he's in a much better place with Furnish, his partner since 1993.

"He was very well dressed, very shy," John says of their first meeting. Noting that he was "instantly" attracted to Furnish, the singer says their relationship took off from there. "The next night we had dinner. After it, we consummated our relationship. We fell in love very quickly."

Still, the pair work to keep their relationship strong. "Every Saturday for 16 years, we've sent each other a card," he says, "no matter where we are in the world, to say how much we love each other.

Add Simon Cowell to the list of people not thrilled with the rumor that Howard Stern could fill his spot on 'American Idol.'

Stern doesn't have the experience to sit in his seat the exiting judge Cowell said yesterday.

"You've just got to know what you're talking about," Cowell said, according to the Daily News. "We have to have people on these shows who actually know what they're talking about, rather than just guessing. They've really got to have experience, so that they can not just criticize, but offer constructive advice as well."

Cowell was "fairly certain" Stern hasn't been approached by 'Idol' producers to fill the spot when he leaves the show to host his own 'X Factor' show. The Stern 'Idol' rumor has run rampant on the Internet and has been partially fanned by the talk show host himself.

Cowell also said Madonna would not make a great replacement due to time commitments. Cowell said he doesn't think a big name like Madonna could manage that.

"The good news for [the producers] is that there's no shortage of candidates," Cowell said.

All in all, he wouldn't pick a favorite to take the spot as America's favorite music truth-teller.

"You're never going to pick anyone as good as you are, are you?" Cowell joked. "That's why I don't think anybody [at Fox] really asks me that question."

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